1. Whoosh 2025, Day 0: Alnmouth to Holy Island

40.5 miles, 1,017ft of climbing

For a group of us, this year’s Whoosh fundraising ride started with a race against time. But that is perhaps fitting, given the aims of the charity for which this year’s ride is raising funds.

A little after noon, five of us met up in the pretty village of Alnmouth on the picturesque Northumbrian coast, in north-east England. We had before us a relatively modest ride, of only about 40 miles.

But we also had a deadline. We were riding to reach the start of this year’s ride, on the island of Lindisfarne off the Northumbrian coast. The famous island – also known as Holy Island, site of a famous medieval priory – is linked to the mainland by a causeway. We knew we had to be on the island by 4pm, before high tide flooded the road.

Such non-negotiable time frames concentrate minds. We set off at a good pace, winding through the Northumbrian coast’s rolling countryside, past yellow fields of flowers being grown for rape seed oil, bleating sheep and lowing cattle.

That we were riding against the clock was a reminder of the work the ride’s charitable fundraising is supporting.

Tree Aid is supporting communities across Africa’s drylands to plant trees. The aim is to stop soil erosion, improve soil quality and encourage the growth of local, rainier microclimates that will water the often arid soil.

The work is time-critical because of the need to carry it out before climate change makes conditions in the affected areas still worse.

There was a reminder of Tree Aid’s work around half-way through the ride when we passed a line of newly-planted saplings being grown to provide a wind-break for the road. We experienced regular reminders of the brutal wind exposure of land denuded of trees, as this part of England is.

But, with a purposeful attitude and good weather, we nevertheless found ourselves riding across the causeway around 3.15pm. The sea was still distant. We had reached Holy Island, to which St Aidan came from Iona, the Scottish island around 350 miles away from which St Aidan was sent on his mission. Our ride will follow St Aidan’s journey in the other direction, back to Iona.

As I rode, it occurred to me that Tree Aid, like St Aidan, is seeking to share new, imported ideas and work with local communities to put them into practice. St Aidan was noted for the collegiate approach of his evangelism.

We reached Holy Island in time for some of us to attend evening prayer at St Mary’s, the Church of England’s parish church for Lindisfarne. The first words of the service felt particularly apposite on a day when we had rushed to accomplish our mission:

“O God, make speed to save us,” they read.
“O Lord, make haste to help us.”

They are words that all of us attending appreciated for ourselves and our forthcoming ride. However, they are words that the people of the communities Tree Aid seeks to help would surely echo.

2025 Charity

This year we are supporting just one charity - Tree Aid, who are backed by our very own Eamonn and Adjoa and who work with people in Africa to plant trees which can provide food and incomes.

Tree Aid. Grow Trees; Grow Hope